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Google TV Streamer: A Streaming Media Upgrade

Last month we observed the one-year anniversary of our forced migration away from our decades long love affair with Tivo DVRs. That transition, forced by Xfinity, also inspired our migration to AT&T Fiber. We will never again spend a dollar with Comcast or their kin.

No, we’re not bitter. Not in the least!

We have also had a couple of Tivo Stream 4K Android TV devices for several years. These initially overcame the fact that the Tivo DVRs had limited access to online streaming services. And the experience of using streaming services on aged Tivo hardware was less than enthralling.

Tivo Stream 4K

Over the past six months the Tivo Stream 4K that we use most often has exhibited a problem. It would lose its connection to the handheld remote control. At first, it appeared that the remote was going through batteries very quickly. When the batteries failed the Bluetooth connected remote would drop the pairing to the Tivo Stream 4K. I’d put in a new set of batteries, and repair the remote. Mostly that got things back to working.

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Deal: Insta360 Link 4K Webcam

For years I searched for a 4K capable webcam. Early models, like Logitech’s Brio were merely adequate. It managed to deliver higher resolution, but really didn’t offer much improvement in other aspects of image quality. For the higher prices commanded by the newer webcams, I would have liked to see better dynamic range, color rendition, and less noise.

Insta360 Link

I was still looking for better webcams when I put the Insta360 Link on my Amazon wish list. At $299 it was interesting, but more than I was willing to spend. I literally forgot about it, until my wife decided to get it for me as a present.

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Changing Course: Returning Tivo Edge OTA

We’ve had the Tivo Edge OTA device for a couple of weeks. I had hoped that it would allow us to maintain our Tivo infrastructure to at least provide local channels. Further, the latest Tivo hardware might be acceptable for access to some basic streaming services, like Netflix and Amazon Prime. But I was wrong. So very wrong.

While all the above was true, I failed to consider what version of the Tivo user interface the Edge device would provide. Our Roamio Pro runs what’s known as TE3, which means Tivo Experience 3. This is the menu structure that we’re comfortable using for a decade or more. It’s a bit stodgy looking, but it it’s familiar and works well enough. It’s the experience was wish to sustain.

Tivo TE3 screen sample

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Further Adventures Exploring BirdDog NDI TV Monitor for Android

My initial experiment with BirdDog NDI TV Monitor for Android on the Tivo Stream 4K turned in less than stellar results, but it did generate some interest amongst NDI users online. I accept that the Tivo device is a somewhat vintage host platform.

Chromecast 4k White

One person mentioned that Birddog had presented the application at NAB 2023 running on a current generation of Chromecast. I haven’t had a Chromecast since it was first introduced. It certainly is the definitive Android TV device. So, I bought a brand new Chromecast with Google TV. The very latest version capable of 4K & HDR.

This latest Chromecast has only two connectors: HDMI for connection to the TV, and USB-C for power.

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Exploring BirdDog NDI TV Monitor for Android

Birddog, the Australian purveyor of NDI products, recently introduced an application that allows display of an NDI stream on an Android TV. As along-time fan and user of NDI, I was curious to try this on devices around our home and office.

androidTVapp

Google’s Play Store informed me that the application would not load to my Pixel 6a mobile phone. We don’t have an Android powered TV. So, I loaded BirdDog NDI TV Monitor to a Tivo Stream 4K, which is basically a branded Android TV stick.

The free 25 MB application loaded quickly, appearing in the menu of available apps. Selecting the application, it scanned the local network for NDI sources, presenting a list of options. Thinking ahead, I had both vMix and NDI Test Pattern running on my desktop.

Selecting one of those sources, it immediately appeared on the TV. Alas, the image carried a very busy watermark. It was useful enough for confirming presence of picture, but useless for anything serious.

NDI TV Monitor for Android

There are precious few details about the app in the Play Store (pictured above.) What little is there describes it as “…free to receive and view direct BirdDog sources, with in-app purchase options for other NDI sources.”

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Birddog Redefines NDI-to-HDMI on the cheap

A little over two years ago, I surveyed the various tools that could be used to display an NDI stream on a monitor or projector. In staging Cluecon 2018 I had used a couple of Lenovo M73 Tiny computers running Windows and Newtek Studio Monitor. There were other options, but the most accessible dedicated hardware solution was the Birddog Mini, which cost around $500.

That post has proven to be quite popular. In fact, it needs to be revisited in the light the latest announcements from Birddog, which happened just this week. Newtek’s launch of NDI 5 allowed Birddog to announce a set of new products and services, including Birddog Play.

Birddog Play is a small dedicated hardware device designed to allow playback of an NDI stream at a monitor or projector. It ticks literally every box I can think of. And it does it for just $150 USD!

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